Ice-block-scoring machine



2 Sheets- Sheetv 1 Nov, 2 1926.

A.FBANKE ICE BLOCK SCORING MACHINE Filed Sept. 29, 1923 .my w

Nov.

A. F. BANKE ICE BLOCK SCORING MACHINE Filed sept. 25a/1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwoon lio@ Patented Nov. 2, 1926.

AUGUST F. BANKE, OF PILOT POINT, TEXAS.

ICE-BLOCK-SCORING MACHINE;

Application filed September 29, 1923. n Serial No. 665,678.

rIhis invention relates to ice block scoring machines, and particularly to novel means for scoring the block vertically on its longitudinal edge to divide the block into three sections of approximately one hundred pounds each, when blocks of the conventional size are treated, and thereafter scoring the said block longitudinally to divide the block into Wha-t Would be twentyive pound sections While it is passing through the machine, there being means fer intermittently moving the block to deliver it to the first named scoring mechanism, ani" thereafter the block is continuously moved While being scored longitudinally.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a novel machine Which vvill automatically shift the mechanism to impart the intermittent movements in -order that attendance of an operator Will be unnecessary during the time the machine is ruiming. By reason of the foregoing facts, the costof scoring blocks will be comparatively small, and the machinery necessary for ef- V fectiug the result is comparatively inexpensive and is lof durable construction.

A still further object of this invention is to produce a machine which Will score the blocks 4when on their edges as they come from the freezing cans, thus making it unnecessary to shift the positions of the vblocl to present them to the operative parts of the machine.

It is a further object of this invention to produce a machine of the character indicated in which the conveyer receives the block and intermittently transfers it from Cil one end of the machine to the other, dis-v charging the block in its scored state for distribution.

lt has been found that accordance with this invention will. treat the blocks about as rapidly as they can be discharged from the cans, and the capacity 45 of one machine has been as highas one and one-fifth tons of ice per minute.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, the invention consists in the details of construction, and in the arrangement and combination of parts to behereinafter more fully .set forth and'claimed.

In describing the invention in detail, reference vvill be had to the accompanying drawings forming part of this application wherein likev characters denote corresponding parts in the several views and in Whichll O a machine made in `Figure y1 illustrates a view in elevation of an ice scoring machine embodying the invention, the view being broken awa-y longitudinally Figure 2` illustrates a top plan view thereof; l l

Figure illustrates a sectional View on the line 3-3 of Fig. 1;

Figure 4 illustrates a sectional view on the line l1-4 of Fig. 1 and Figure 5 illustrates a detail sectional view of trip mechanism whereby the saws on horizontal shafts are released to be positioned lout of contact with a calze of ice When they have concluded the scoring of said cake. y l

In these drawings, denotes `a suitable rect-angular frame properly braced to produce such strength as may be necessary tol withstand strain incident to the use thereof, A and preferably the frame supports a motor 11, Which motor may be of any appropriate type, that isto say, it may be an electric motor or a gasoline motor, or, if necessary, power can be communicated to themachine 80 by belting from a remote source, although preferably, the self-contained machine will be found more ,satisfactory as it may be moved from place to place Without reference to the source of povver. B5

A conveyer 12 isstationed in an inclined position at the receiving end `of the frame i and it is designed to receive blocks and carry them into the frame to the main conveyer 13 which travels the full length of the frame. The conveyer is preferably of a type having spurs 14 which will impinge the ice and preventit frombeing dislodged While traveling through the frame.

On each side of the frame near the receiving end, guides 15 stand vertically and sleeves 16 are slidable on the said guides. The sleeves are formed to produce bearings for the shaft 17, which shaft is rotatably mounted in the bearings and constitutes supports for the scorers 1S Which are in the nature lof saws. The scorers are spaced apart a distance equal to one-third of the length ofthe block being treated, as it is the purpose ofthe inventor that the bloclr shall` be carried into the frame until it in position to be operated on by the scorers 18 when the sleeves are moved vertically on the guides. The sleeves are connected by a yoke 19 to which a link 2O is connected, and the said link has its upper end connected to a crank 21 of the crank shaft 22, the said crank shaft being rotatably mounted in fsui-table bearings 23 on the frame.

In describing the gearing, reference will be made to it as consisting Vot sprocket chains and sprocket wheels, but it is to be understood that this term is used analegously with belts and pulleys, and the inventor does not wish to be limited with respect to the means for transmitting* the power.

A sprocket wheel 2e is secured tothe shaft 22 and a sprocket chain 25 operates thereover trom a sprocket wheel 26 on the shaft 27. The sprocket wheel 26 isA integral with a clutch'nieniber 26- on the sha-ft 27. The shaft 27 has a clutch member 28 that is splined thereon lwhich coacts rwith Vthe clutch 'iembers 2Ga and 29. T he `shaft 27 is driven by a sprocket wheel SO which is engaged by a sprocket chain 3l driven from the shaft 32 through the medium 'of the 'sprocket Wheel 38. The shaft 32 is connected to thevniotor 1l through the sprocket chain Vv34 and sprocket Wheels 354 and 36, the former of Which is secured on the shaft 32 and the latter'ot w ich is secured on the drive shaft of the motor.

The clutch member 29 drives a sprocket wheel 37 and this sprocket wheel `is connected to a sprocket Wheel 38 on the shaft 39,7an'd the said shaft 39 operates the conveyer 13 to which reference has been made. A sprocket chain l0 engages the sprocket wheels 3T and'SS, as shown in Fig. l.

The clutch member 28 is Vengaged by a lever 4l which serves to move itjaxially o' the shaft into and out of engagement with the clutch members 26al and 29 alternately,

and this lever 4l is actuatedby a Ashatt d2 rotatable vin a bearing llSat the side ot the trame. The shaft has a 'finger 44 which, is in the pathvoi ltravel oi' a cam 45 carried by one of the sleeves 16 in Vorder that when. the sleeve has reached a predetermined height, it will communicate motion to the shait and it will in `turn disconnect the clutch members and disconnect the drive which operates the vertically7 movable scorers. y it 'willbe seen tiiat when the clutch members are in engagement and the motor is running, the shalt 22 will be rotated 'thus vcausing the cranks to litt the vertical scorers and this motion will continue until the clutch is thrown out ot operative position.

The arrangement ot the clutch member y28 is such that it is alternately thrown into engagement with the clutch member 26L and the clutch member 29. When the clutch member 28 is inengagement with the clutch member 29, the lscorers "18 fwill `be arrested andthe conveyerl will 'be operated to carry a cake cgt iceaway from thejscorer's and to deliver another calze of ice Itojthe lscorers.

The shaft 42 is rotatable as stated and it has an ann a rotatable on it. T 'ere is a collar '1b 'secured 4'on the said shaft and it to travel into engagement with a trip fwhi ch will torce dche Ldog out of engagement with the shoulder and release the shaft in order that it will turn in one direction under the action ot the spring g which has one end anchored 'to a stationery object 7i andthe other end connected to an arm c' extending trom the shaft 42, so that when the dog is disengaged from theshoulder of the collar, the shalt will rotate independently or" the arm a to return the arm to a position to shift the clutch members.

r'he arm c is "returned 'to its normal position by the spring j having one end anchored to the collar and the other end connected -'to pin 7c on the hub of the arm. rThe 'dog is held in operative position by a spring m, the action oit' which will be apparent from an inspection or" Figure 5.

The. arm L is intended to extend into the path oi travel ofthe cake of ice that ifs being moved by the conveyer and the relation Ot parts is such that when the cake of ice has reached a predeterminedstation or location with respect to the scoring saws 1S, the.

clutches will be shifted to disconnect power from the coni/'ever to connect power to the scorer-operating Vdevices so that the scorers will be moved vertically of the frame. then the scorers have completed a cycle ot operation "they again shift the clutches through the medium o' the c m lo which engages the arm le to partially turn `the said shattand .the conveyer then carries the cake o' ice out ot' engagement with lthe arm a and it returns to its normal position in the path of travel ot the next succeeding cake ot ice and a repetition oic the operation again takes place. At the completion ot the downward stroke ot the frame carrying the scariingsaws i8., the frame and saws will *be moved upward adjacent to the top of the traine and will beheld in such position. by the cam to which isma'intained in an elevated position by the .arm le on shaft 42. lWhen in this position, the vertical saws 18 will beabove the cake oit ice. The movement imparted tothe arm lill will turn 'the vertical shaft 42 so vthat the carrier belt upon which a Vblock of icev rests will start its movement to` carry .the caire of ice toward the scarring saws .53., and as 'soon as the cake 'of ice has passed 4the 'projection a, the clutch will be thrown by reason of A'springs so that drive chain 31 will act-nate the saws '53.

The shafts 17, one 'ot which is provided on each side of the machine, are operated in identica-l '-mlaiiiier, fand :the description of the means for Ioperating one shaft :will suce as fthe invention `in this A. telescopic shaft 46 is provided on each end of the machine and one end is connected to a shaft 17 by a universal joint 47, whereas the other end is connected by a universal joint 48 to a stub shaft 49 which rotates in suitable bearings in one of the frame members, the said stub shaft being .supplied with a beveled gear wheel 50.

A shaft l is journaled vertically in the frame and it has a beveled gear wheel 52 which meshes with the gear wheel so that when the shaft 5l is driven, motion will'be communicated to the vertical sco 1ing shaft 17. The shaft 5l has scores 53 in the nature of saws .secured to it in spaced relation to each other, and as the blocks of ice are carried by the conveyer to the discharge end of the frame, these scorers produce slots in the blocks which extend longitudinally of the said blocks.

The upper end of each of the shafts 5l has a gear wheel 54 which meshes with a gear wheel 55 on the shaft 32, which shaft is driven as heretofore described, so that when the motor is started, the scores are rotated continuously during the operation of the motor.

I claim:

l. In a scoring machine for cakes of ice,

a frame, a conveyer operatively arranged in the frame to travel longitudinally thereof, vertically movable scorers in proximity to the front end of the frame, means for moving the scorers vertically, means for rotating the scorers, means for communicating power to the scorer moving means, means for coinmunicating power to the conveyer, and means automatically shifted when the scorers are elevated for transferring power from the scorers to the conveyer, substantially as described.

In a scoring machine for blocks of ice, a frame, a conveyer operatively arranged in the frame to travel longitudinally thereof, vertically movable scorers in proximity to the front end of the frame, meansfor ineving the scorers vertically, means for rotating the scorers, means for communicating power to the scorer moving means, means for communicating power to the conveyor, automatic means for intermittently withdrawing power from said conveyer, means shifting when the vertically movable scorers are elevated and for transferring power to the conveyor', and a plurality of horizontally rotatable scorers adapted to operate on blocks 'of ice while moving with the conveyer.

tically movable scorers, means for intermit! tently moving the conveyor and operating after the completion of vertical scorers in the sides of the cake of ice, and after such scoring means for intermittently moving the vertically movable scorers, and means for shifting power alternately from the scorerV .elevating means to the conveyer driving means.

4. In a block scoring machine, a frame, a conveyer mountedto operate to deliver a block of ice between the frame, a conveyer for delivering blocks of ice to position below, vertically movable scorers, means for intermittently moving the .second conveyer, means for intermittently moving the vertically movable scorers, means for shifting power alternately from the scorer elevating means to the lconveyor driving means, and horizontally rotatable scorers in the path of travel of the blocks of ice carried by the second conveyor.

5. In an ice scorer, a frame, conveyers therein, vert-ical guides, sleeves on the said guides having bearings, a vertically movable and intermittently rotatable shaft rotatable in thek bearings, scorers on the said shaft, means for moving the sleeves vertically, means for applying power to the sleeve moving means, means for intermittently driving the conveyer means `for automatically applying power to the said scorers and after scoring to the conveyers, and means for scoring the blocks longitudinally when moving with the conveyers.

6. In an ice scoring machine, a frame having conveyers upon which cakes of ice are delivered, longitudinal shafts having thereon vertically disposed saws, sleeves associated with the shafts and in slidable engagement with guides, means for moving the shaft, having the scoring saws thereon vertically, automatic means for disconnecting the conveyers while the scoring saws are in engagement with a cake of ice which is being scored vertically thereby, means operatively Connected `with the carrying means for said saws for elevating the sam-e upon the completion of their work and after such elevation to maintain them in a raised position, and automatic means for kactuating the conveyor belts to carry the vertically scored cake of ice to horizontally scoring saws.

AUGUST F. BANKE., 

